1. Field of the Invention
Fuel gas and supplemental water humidified nitrogen are separately introduced into the combustor of a gas turbine where combustion with air takes place and flue gas containing water humidified nitrogen gas and a substantially reduced amount of NO.sub.x gases is produced. The flue gas is passed through a power-producing expansion turbine as the working fluid. Increased power and efficiency are thereby obtained without polluting the atmosphere.
2. Description of Prior Art
Production of fuel gas by partial oxidation of a hydrocarbonaceous fuel using comparatively high steam to fuel weight ratios and no subsequent catalytic methanation step is described in coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,438. In coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,817 fuel gas having a mole ratio (CO/H.sub.2) dry basis of at least 0.30 is produced by partial oxidation in the presence of a CO.sub.2 -rich temperature moderator. After further processing, the fuel gas is burned in a combustion turbine. In coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,831 purified and humidified fuel gas is burned in a gas turbine to produce mechanical work and electrical energy. A mixture of air/steam is mixed with fuel and burned to drive a gas turbine in U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,023. However, the prior art does not teach or suggest the instant invention wherein clean sulfur-free fuel gas and supplemental water humidified nitrogen are separately introduced into the combustor of a gas turbine where combustion with air takes place and flue gas containing water humidified nitrogen and substantially lower NO.sub.x gases are produced. Further, there is no teaching in the prior art that the water used to humidify the dry nitrogen is warmed by cooling raw fuel gas prior to purification.